Correct me if I am wrong

Active Member

Correct me if I am wrong, but I have watched endless videos claiming increased range with an OTG cable. My understanding is that the cable only connects between the phone and controller and therefore would have no effect on the range of the drone.
Another point is I see huge distances and heights being claimed. Here in the UK the height limit is four hundred feet, and the drone must be in visible range at all times.

Well-Known Member

When I had my spark, I never noticed a difference in range while using otg. The reflectors helped. The otg did help with the live video feed, but not enough to make we want to always use it. I actually miss the wireless connection between the controller and my tablet on the MP.

Well-Known Member

You are not wrong in my experience. I also think that most people abide by the height limit and VLOS requirements. At least I hope so. I don't see those as limits - just good common sense. However, there will always be those few that just have to push the limits.

Well-Known Member

There may be circumstances where OTG may improve the range, (as well as improving the video signal).

In the UK, for example, European Android phones don't have the 5GHz channels that the Spark tries to use for the link to the phone.

This means that the link then defaults to the 2.4GHz channels and the Spark then uses 5GHz for the link from aircraft to controller which may have a potentially shorter range.

If you use an OTG cable, you're then able to select either a 2.4GHz channel or (if they're busy) a 5GHz channel for the aircraft-controller link.

This isn't a problem if your country has the full 5GHz channel spectrum available in your phone, as the Spark chooses one of those channels by default for the phone-controller link by default, so you won't have noticed it.

I struggled with this when I first set up my Spark with a UK Android phone.

Bumping this as I've been experimenting with ActiveTrack recently and I have to reset the Spark's WiFi EACH TIME I want to connect with my phone, the reason likely being that I'm in Europe and that the Spark defaults upon booting up to an illegal 5.8Ghz frequency that my phone (an Android) cannot connect to. Resetting WiFi apparently forces 2.4Ghz, at least temporarily.

Well-Known Member

I use OTG to reduce video delays. Early on, I flew without it, but it was hard to guide spark with the camera because it was sometimes several seconds behind.

The range theory is that with OTG, the remote does not have to fire up the second wifi signal for the phone and that signal can reduce the range of the wifi signal it uses to reach the spark. I have done no testing on this so I don't know if it so.

Forum statistics

About us

SparkPilots is the leading online community for DJI Spark drone enthusiasts and a member of the DronePilots Network. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.